The Enclosed Photo
by ikuzonos
Summary: There's a letter on Daddy's desk. The handwriting is neat, precise, and perfect. A photo is attached to the letter by a paperclip. There's two people in the photo. One is her Daddy, in his old blue suit. The other man is looking away from the camera, but he's smiling too. (Phoenix/Edgeworth, written in 2014)


Trucy's eyes always wander when her Daddy isn't home. Sure, magic tricks are a great way to pass the time, but everything gets boring eventually.

She isn't sure why she's in Daddy's study, but here she is. The room is mostly empty, save for an old desk, and some even older looking bookshelves.

The shelves are covered with old law books, and case files, that haven't been read in almost a decade.

Trucy doesn't recognize the names on the files, but she does remember the law books. Daddy dropped one on his foot once, and Trucy had to cover it with ice.

Eventually, Trucy finds herself moving towards the desk. The drawers have few things inside them. A couple pencils. A knife. What looks like a handkerchief.

Trucy looks on top of the desk. Among the scattered files, and piano music, there's something that manages to catch Trucy's attention.

There's a letter on Daddy's desk. The handwriting is neat, precise, and perfect. A photo is attached to the letter by a paperclip. There's two people in the photo. One is her Daddy, in his old blue suit. The other man is looking away from the camera, but he's smiling too.

While her Daddy has a happy smile on his face, the other man does not. He might be smiling, but it's a sad smile. The smile Daddy gets when he talks about his past.

The smile Trucy has, when she remembers her real daddy.

Trucy can't quite read the writing, so she takes to staring at the photo. It's quite a nice photo, taken in front of a courthouse.

Daddy's still wearing his badge in the picture. This must have been taken before the last trial. I teardrop slips out of Trucy's eye, and she puts the photo down to compose herself.

She wonders who the man in Daddy's photo is. He's a bit taller than Daddy, and he looks far more serious. He's got some ruffles around his neck, that Trucy giggles at.

Suddenly, the door opens, and Trucy pales. Her Daddy is back, and he's found her in his study, looking at his pictures.

Luckily, her Daddy breaks down into laughter, and kneels down.

"Hey Trucy. What do you have there?"

Trucy blushes, and holds out the photograph. Daddy takes it, and he smiles. But it's the sad smile of the other man in the photo.

A smile of regrets.

"So, you found it." He says softly, "Do you know who this man is?"

Trucy shakes her head, "An old friend?" She guesses.

Her Daddy smiles, and puts the photo in her hand, "This man is named Miles Edgeworth. He was my best friend when I was younger."

Trucy squeals, "Oh! The one from your stories!"

He nods, "He's… he's gone now. But I've always had this to remind me of him."

Trucy throws herself into her Daddy's arms, "I'm sorry I was looking through your stuff."

Her daddy shakes his head, "It's okay, Trucy. I was going to give you this anyway."

Trucy grins, "Thank you, Daddy!"

* * *

Now that Trucy has the photo, it's her most prized possession. It's worth even more than Mr. Hat, the only thing she has left of her real Daddy.

Trucy keeps the photo with her everywhere she goes, no matter what. Sometimes she takes it out to just looks at it.

Her Daddy says that Miles Edgeworth is gone, but Trucy keeps an eye out everywhere. He's bound he out there somewhere, and Trucy's not about to give up.

But it's not until two months after she gets the photo, that something happens.

It all starts when Trucy is at the supermarket. She only planned the pick up some milk, but her plans change quickly.

As Trucy searches through the dairy aisle, her eyes drift, until she can't see, and then smacks directly into someone.

A hand reaches out, and she takes it, squinting.

"Terribly sorry. Are you alright, my dear?"

Trucy looks up at the man she's run into, and gasps, 'You! Are you Mr. Edgeworth?"

The man looks take aback, before saying, "Yes. Can I help you?"

Trucy nods, and reaches into her pocket, pulling out her photo, "This is you, right?"

Mr. Edgeworth pales, "Where… where did you get this photo?"

Trucy tugs on his hand, "Come with me! I'll show you!"

And that is how a twelve year old girl managed to drag a bewildered prosecutor back to the office.

* * *

When Trucy gets there, she holds the door for Mr. Edgeworth. He steps inside, confusion still on his face.

From the other room, her Daddy calls out, "Trucy? You back with the milk yet?"

"I brought something better, Daddy!" Trucy calls.

Her Daddy walks in, and then he freezes at the sight of Mr. Edgeworth.

"Trucy… How did you… No…"

Mr. Edgeworth blinks. He doesn't appear to recognize her Daddy. He's not wearing his old blue suit. He's got a hoodie, and sweatpants on now. Not to mention the beanie she'd knit for him, when she was nine.

The room is quiet, before Mr. Edgeworth says, "Sorry to bother you, sir. I'm afraid your daughter has made a mistake."

"A mistake? Edgeworth, how stupid are you?"

Edgeworth turns to look at her Daddy again, before saying, "Wright? No… After all these years?"

Her Daddy nods, "It's a bit of a mess. I've spent four years disbarred. You spent the last four years… dead."

Mr. Edgeworth looks away, "I didn't want to do that to you."

"You sent me that letter." Daddy says, "With that damn photo. Miles, I thought you were dead!"

Mr. Edgeworth blinks at the use of his first name, "It's too late for that. I assumed you would understand-"

"Understand that you pulled another disappearing act?" Her Daddy shouts. Trucy huddles quietly on the floor. She's never seen her Daddy angry, but now he is.

"Miles, I didn't know what to believe. If Franziska hadn't told me it was a suicide note…"

Trucy doesn't know who this Franziska is, but she thinks she must be important, when Mr. Edgeworth grabs his arm.

"I told her not to say that. I suppose she thought she could have her way."

"What the hell were you thinking, Miles?"

"I don't know, Wright."

Her Daddy sighs, "You know, I never really gave up on you."

Mr. Edgeworth looks over at Daddy, "You… never gave up?"

"It sounds stupid, but I tried to make myself believe you were okay. I guess this is what I get for believing. My daughter runs into you at the grocery store."

Mr. Edgeworth stutters, "You… a daughter… How old is she?"

"Trucy's twelve."

Mr. Edgeworth visibly backs up, and then says, "Wright, that's insane. You'd be eighteen-"

"Calm down, Miles." Daddy says, "She's adopted."

"Oh."

That's all Mr. Edgeworth says, before Daddy notices Trucy on the floor.

"Trucy, go to your room. I need to talk to Miles."

Trucy nods, but she doesn't close the door all the way, so she can still see what's going on.

The two continue to have a conversation, that's a mix between talking, fighting, and reminiscing.

Eventually, Mr. Edgeworth says loudly, "Oh, for God's sake, Phoenix!" Before cupping Daddy's face in his hands, and kissing him.

Trucy's eyes widen. This is why he never got her a new mommy. He was waiting for Mr. Edgeworth to come back, for all these years.

She sways on the spot, and a tear fights it's way down her face.

Her Daddy swears, and then kisses Mr. Edgeworth back. They stay like that for a long time, locked in their own little world.

* * *

Mr. Edgeworth doesn't go away after this. He stays, and soon, he's become her new Mommy, in more ways than one.

Soon after, Daddy gives her a new photo. This time, all three of them are in it. And this time, everyone is smiling.

Trucy likes this photo much better.


End file.
